Rubio, Miliband discuss Ukraine war, Europe taking greater role in its own security

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband discussed Europe's increased security role and Ukraine's air defense needs during a meeting in Washington.

U.S. Secretary ​of State Marco Rubio and ​UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband ‌discussed ​the importance of Europe taking a greater role in its security during a meeting in Washington on ‌Wednesday, the State Department said in a statement.

Rubio told reporters before the meeting that Ukraine would also be on the agenda. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has ratcheted up ‌appeals to allies for more air defense missiles as Russia escalates ballistic ‌missile strikes. Miliband planned to underline that Ukraine's security is inseparable from European and transatlantic security, and to reiterate the UK's commitment to stand with Ukraine for as long as it ⁠takes, ​his ministry said.

The ⁠State Department said the two also reiterated their shared commitment to safe transit in the ⁠Strait of Hormuz and ensuring that Iran never develops or obtains a nuclear weapon. In ​a statement issued before the meeting, Miliband underscored the importance of reopening ⁠the Gulf waterway to ease Britain's cost of living crisis. He said he would also raise ⁠the ​dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

It was Miliband's second meeting with Rubio after a brief introduction at the ASEAN meeting in Manila in July. Miliband, ⁠Britain's governor on the board of the World Bank, is also due to ⁠meet the ⁠multilateral development bank's president, Ajay Banga, during his quick visit to Washington, the ministry said.